Seattle 72, Detroit 59

AUBURN HILLS, Mich., July 28 (UPI) -- Sue Bird had 18 points and five assists and Lauren Jackson scored 14 points Sunday night as the Seattle Storm extended their winning streak to three games with a 72-59 victory over the Detroit Shock.

Bird and Swin Cash were college teammates for four seasons at Connecticut, where they won two national titles. Bird was the top overall pick in the draft and Cash was selected second, but the duo had not shared the court again until Sunday.

Bird made six of 16 shots from the floor, including three of five three-pointers. Cash led Detroit with 15 points and grabbed five rebounds.

Seattle took control with an 18-5 run midway through first half. Kate Starbird scored five of her 13 points during the burst, which gave the Storm a 38-21 cushion with 4:27 to go.

Starbird scored 11 points in the first half and Jackson 10 as Seattle built a 42-25 halftime cushion.

The Shock rallied in the second half and pulled within 63-55 on Dominique Canty's three-point play with 2:26 to go. But the Storm produced three-pointers on their next three possessions to pull away.

Seattle moved within two games of Portland for the fourth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference with six games remaining.

Astou Ndiaye-Diatta and Elaine Powell had 13 points and seven rebounds apiece for Detroit, which fell to 6-9 under coach Bill Laimbeer.